Assessing pain in the elderly

Abstract

Objective: Summarize practical strategies for recognizing and assessing pain in the long-term care population, particularly for cognitively impaired residents.

Data sources: Live symposium presentation based on clinical practice and research and current clinical guidelines.

Conclusions: Pain that is under-recognized and undertreated can result in significant physical and social disability in the elderly long-term care population. Proper assessment of pain is needed to diagnose and determine an appropriate and individualized treatment plan for each resident. Consultant pharmacists play critical roles as medication experts and members of the long-term care interdisciplinary team that can assist other team members in the assessment, treatment, and management of pain in older adults.